Friday, February 3, 2012
Economy Speaking of unemployment ...
Posted by Max Brantley on Fri, Feb 3, 2012 at 7:52 AM
Sad story in Eureka Springs' Lovely County Citizen about a secretary, Judie Robinson, who lost her job of 45 years at the state Forestry Commission in the layoffs required by the agency's insolvency when illegal funds transfers were stopped:
She was fired by letter. It arrived with postage due.
State Rep. Bryan King, who met with Robinson last week at a news conference in Eureka Springs, said he takes issue with Shannon on several levels."I object to the way they treated her termination," said King. "They should have made a reasonable effort for a face-to-face notification, if he were man enough."
King also objects to Shannon's handling of the commission, its finances and its personnel policies, saying Shannon should have notified state lawmakers of the budget shortfall, that he tried to pass the buck in the blame game, he muzzled his employees, and he misused funds.
Speaking of...
-
Joe Fox recommended to lead Arkansas Forestry Commission
April 22, 2012Joe Fox, director of conservation forestry for the Arkansas field office of The Nature Conservancy, has been recommended as the next director of the Arkansas Forestry Commission. /more/
-
Former forestry finance chief Robert Araiza retires
March 9, 2012Robert Araiza, the financial officer who was in the middle of the long-running controversy over financial shortfalls at the Arkansas Forestry Commission, has taken state retirement. /more/
- More »
Comments (3)
Showing 1-3 of 3
Sure sounds like there is more to this story. These agency directors can be some poorly managed princes but this is way out bounds.
like
dislike
While there are certainly major issues at play here, Rep. King is waging a personal vendetta against Mike Beebe and is using Shannon as Beebe's proxy. To suggest that Shannon should have gone to the Legislature identifies Mr. King as either disingenuous or dumb.
Shannon is an executive agency head. He serves at the pleasure of the Governor. He took his concerns to the Governor in 2010 and was told that no other revenues would be forthcoming. No executive agency head in the United States (state or federal) would ever then go around their boss to a legislative body. Not one.
Shannon has been State Forester for 18 years and served under Governors of both parties. A list of his honors and accomplishments would be exhaustive. He currently serves as President of the National Association of State Foresters. He enjoys the unanimous support of the forest products community.
Shannon found himself in a very tough situation when he was running out of money, had one of the worst fire seasons in memory and was told by his boss that no additional funds were available. He used all the funds at his disposal (some, such as federal grant money that he should not have) and then he had to lay people off. In the aftermath, in my opinion, he mishandled the situation.
The fact remains, however, that the Commission is in dire straits. Even with the requested $2.7 million appropriation, the Commission faces declining revenues from almost every sourse at its disposal. There is no one even remotely as well qualified as John Shannon to lead the Commission through this crisis.
To be searching out disgruntled former employees and gathering dirt on Shannon is cheap, partisan politics. I'm reminded of a scene from The American President in which Mike Douglas addressed a Congressional demagogue with the statement:
"We have serious problems to solve, and we need serious men to solve them. And whatever your particular problem is, friend, I promise you, BRYAN KING is not the least bit interested in solving it. He is interested in two things and two things only, making you afraid of it and telling you who's to blame for it."
This is a time for serious people Bryan King, and your 15 minutes are up.
That would be the same Bryan King as:
http://www.arktimes.com/StreetJazz/archive…
And King also tried to strip voting rights from Arkansans via a voter ID bill last spring.
In comparison with Bryan King, John Burris came preloaded from the factory with extra brain cells. They are both more ignorant than dog s**t.
More by Author
-
Fayetteville schools win fight against TIF tax grab
The Fayetteville School District has won a lawsuit challenging the city of Fayetteville's effort to capture some of the money from a voter-approved tax increase to build a new high school and give it to the misbegotten downtown tax increment finance (TIF) district.
- Apr 10, 2012
-
Occupy LR asks for support for good government; rejected
Occupy Little Rock has, according to reporting in the Democrat-Gazette, floated some ideas about moving its small demonstration encampment to a site less offensive to the eyes of City Director Lance Hines, who wants the blight removed from potential glimpse by speeding I-30 travelers.
- Mar 16, 2012
- More »
Event Calendar
-
Re: New for Riverfest: Big Sister is watching
Mayor Jill "Republican" Dabbs Uses this wonderful equipment to hold the chilled beer out of…
- on May 25, 2012
-
Re: N.C. businessman pays a price for support of gay rights
Proud to say that Mr. Spainhour mentioned in the article is a good friend of…
- on May 25, 2012
-
Re: Little Rock can do better than ditches
A bicycle is not meant to be a wealthy person's activity. A car is.
…- on May 25, 2012
Top Commenters
Blogroll
Slideshows
-
Police close the Occupy Little Rock camp, perhaps the last Occupy encampment on public land.
Site Index
News
Cover Story / Arkansas Reporter / The Week That Was / Smart Talk / The Insider / The Observer / Editorial / Max Brantley / Ernest Dumas / Gene Lyons / Bob Lancaster / Words / Guest Writer / Letters
Entertainment
A&E Feature / To-Do List / In Brief / Movie Reviews / Music Reviews / Theater Reviews / A&E News / Art Notes / Graham Gordy / Books / Media / Dining Reviews / Dining Guide / What's Cookin' / Calendar / The Televisionist / Movie Listings / Gallery Listings
This Week's Cover
Quick Links
Special Publications
RSS
Facebook
Twitter
